Why green revolution in downtown now?

The time has come that Americans are tired of white picket fences and the lonely lifestyle of cars, plazas, and cookie cutter fast food. The attraction of the television is being replaced by the Internet and virtual reality has reconnected us to the real environments it represents. We are speaking of the millennials, the baby boomers, college and grad students, and the young professionals. With the increased interest in areas which provide a higher density of population such as the urban setting, awareness has spread about the importance of green space, clean water, fresh air, healthy and fresh produce, need for exercise, and perhaps most importantly, less dependence on the automobile. This green movement into organics, renewable materials, air quality, carbon footprint minimization, pedestrian and eco-friendly indoor and outdoor environments is being led by our universities and colleges. The Harvard Green Campus Initiative (HGCI) has saved the university $7 million last year in energy related expenses. The University of Rochester has adopted an environmental sustainability policy and has invested over $500 million in the expansion of its services. One of the tools at our disposal is the LEED certification program presented by the U.S. Green Building Council. This program offers accountability and recognition for the builders and developers who exhibit a conscious effort to help our towns, cities, and planet breathe easier and enjoy life. What makes this program such a success and benchmark for the industry is the formation of new communication paths among the teams associated with any building or remodeling project. The populace at large is becoming aware of this "new" way of thinking and is demanding a product scantly available at the moment. What we have at our hands is a green revolution, a new market primed for development. The social responsibility stamp associated with these green projects causes automatic fame and free publicity for all parties involved. Going geo-thermal and off the grid along with generous tax incentives offered through NYSERDA. can assist contractors, developers, and owners in budgeting their projects. Moving from the suburbs to the city may be a huge move towards green, yet the car is hard to leave behind. It is crowding our city streets and tearing down our buildings. The city of Rochester is planning on emphasizing the need for parking garages to be integrated into the cityscape by being integrated behind city buildings or placed above retail so as not to create dead blocks. We are coming together as neighbors, towns, cities, states, and countries. The people are aware of an alternative way of living and they are willing to pay for that lifestyle. If you are wondering if green is here to stay or if it's just a fad look around you. The suburb will be the next ghetto. We are tired of the isolation and monotony of faux park living with nowhere to walk to. Dominika Glazek is a licensed real estate agent at Hunt Commercial, Rochester, N.Y.